1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to looms of the fly-shuttle type in which a weft carrying shuttle is picked back and forth across the width of a loom by a picking apparatus located at each side of the loom and which are disposed in opposed relation. In particular the invention pertains to an improved device for positioning and retaining loop-type pickers on a loom's picker stick.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Looms of the type having a picker attached adjacent one end of a picker stick are usually fixed to the latter by means of a screw passing through a part of the picker and into the picker stick. This type of picker is commonly referred to as a "loop picker" and includes a conically formed recess disposed for engagement with the spur of a shuttle and a loop portion which provides the means for being received onto the end of a picker stick. The end of the picker stick on which the picker assembles is slightly tapered and the loop of said picker is driven onto the taper to a position of alignment with the shuttle spur and is then locked in this position by means of a screw. The picker stick must be drilled for the reception of the screw which in some case splits the end of the stick. These screws have frequently been known to become loose to the extent of dropping out which allows the picker to shift out of alignment with the shuttle, and even come off the stick entirely. After replacing pickers a number of times, the screw is no longer capable of holding in the picker stick which makes a more satisfactory retaining means something to be desired. In an effort to provide a more satisfactory picker retaining means there have been many suggestions and such means as adhesives, clamps, wedges, special locking screws and the like have been subject matter of several patents, however, the loop picker is still almost universally held in place by a wood screw threaded into the picker stick. Although many of the suggestions for retaining a picker on a picker stick have worked satisfactorily in so far as holding the picker in its proper operating position, they have not provided a simplified means for its replacement or which is not responsible for damage to the stick itself. A picker which is held in place by an adhesive and certain types of wedges ususally have to be cut-off, to make a replacement, and has been known to result in damaging effects to the picker stick. Also the use of clamps and locking screws has resulted in such damage as crushing and splitting of the picker stick in the area where the picker assembles.
The loom picker retainer according to the present invention has eliminated the problems associated with picker retainers of the prior art and provides a device which permits a worn picker to be quickly and easily replaced without damaging the picker stick. Additionally the device will automatically locate a new picker in the same operating positon in which the picker it replaces was located thereby eliminating the normally required adjustment to align a new picker with the spur of a shuttle.